2013 Ford ESCAPE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Ford ESCAPE has 3670 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 45.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (39% of all complaints), specifically: my 2013 ford escape, 1.6 liter engine, had 3 recalls, (two were engine fire related). all 3 recall repairs were done by the local ford dealer, salem, va. we picked vehicle up after third recall work had been done on 9/17/12. we assumed the recall work was done correctly, and that ford's "fix" worke. ⚠️ 124 fire reports filed.

124 fire reports 37 crash reports 54 injuries

3670

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

45.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

1435 complaints

39%

• MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE, 1.6 LITER ENGINE, HAD 3 RECALLS, (TWO WERE ENGINE FIRE RELATED). ALL 3 RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, SALEM, VA. WE PICKED VEHICLE UP AFTER THIRD RECALL WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON 9/17/12. WE ASSUMED THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE CORRECTLY, AND THAT FORD'S "FIX" WORKE
• THERE IS AN ACCELERATION LAG ON PARTIAL THROTTLE. THIS MAINLY OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE OR WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A TURN. WHEN NO ACCELERATION IS FELT, THE THROTTLE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED FURTHER AND, AFTER A DELAY, THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF LIKE A ROCKET. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE USING THE MANUA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NOTIFIED OF A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V551000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A CONCURRENT RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 68 fire reports💥 8 crashes

“MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE, 1.6 LITER ENGINE, HAD 3 RECALLS, (TWO WERE ENGINE FIRE RELATED). ALL 3 RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, SALEM, VA. WE PICKED VEHICLE UP AFTER THIRD RECALL WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON 9/17/12. WE ASSUMED THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE CORRECTLY, AND THAT FORD'S "FIX" WORKE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

400 complaints

11%

• THERE IS AN ACCELERATION LAG ON PARTIAL THROTTLE. THIS MAINLY OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE OR WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A TURN. WHEN NO ACCELERATION IS FELT, THE THROTTLE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED FURTHER AND, AFTER A DELAY, THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF LIKE A ROCKET. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE USING THE MANUA
• MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CAR WAS AT A STOP WHEN IT ACCELERATED SUDDENLY FOR A SHORT BURST. THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE IN ONE SPOT AND SHE TAPPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER CAUSE TWO MINOR SCRATCHES ON THE OTHER VEHICLE'S BUMPER. OUR INSURANCE COM
• 2013 FORD ESCAPE SITUATION IS THAT WHEN I TRANSFER MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BESIDES LIGHTLY BRAKING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SURGE IN ACCELERATION ... CAUSING UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION WHEN THE DRIVER WOULD EXPECT THE VEHICLE TO BE BRAKING. THERE ARE 1 OR 2 PROBLEMS:

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 10 crashes

“THERE IS AN ACCELERATION LAG ON PARTIAL THROTTLE. THIS MAINLY OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE OR WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A TURN. WHEN NO ACCELERATION IS FELT, THE THROTTLE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED FURTHER AND, AFTER A DELAY, THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF LIKE A ROCKET. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE USING THE MANUA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

340 complaints

• WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO GO ON FOR A FLAT TIRE. LIGHT WENT ON WHEN TIRE WAS REMOVED. AFTER TEMPORARY TIRE WAS PUT ON 3 DIFFERENT LIGHTS KEPT FLASHING ON AND OFF WHEN DRIVEN. *TR
• CROSS TRAFFIC WARNING SYSTEM IS OVERLY SENSITIVE AND PROVIDES FALSE WARNINGS. THIS CREATES A DISTRACTION FROM DRIVING. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE THE CROSS TRAFFIC WARNING SYSTEM WILL ALARM WHEN VEHICLES ARE APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AWAY OR WHEN TRAFFIC IS PASSING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE
• NUMEROUS FAULTS WITH RADIO AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM PART OF MYFORDTOUCH SYSTEM. THE RADIO WILL COME ON BY ITSELF AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THIS USUALLY OCCURS WHEN A CELL PHONE IS IN USE AND CONNECTS OR DISCONNECTS VIA BLUETOOTH WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED OR TURNED OFF. WHEN THIS FAULT OCCURS THE RADIO WILL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 15 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO GO ON FOR A FLAT TIRE. LIGHT WENT ON WHEN TIRE WAS REMOVED. AFTER TEMPORARY TIRE WAS PUT ON 3 DIFFERENT LIGHTS KEPT FLASHING ON AND OFF WHEN DRIVEN. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

304 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATE THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO AN UNDISCLOSED OBJECT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAIT
• DRIVER WAS PROCEEDING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND HIT SEVERAL PARKED VEHICLES. THE DRIVER COMPLAINED THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL THE SECONDS PRIOR TO IMPACT. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP BY THE TOW TRUCK AND THE UNDE
• WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ON MAY 21, 2014 I SUDDENLY HEARD A CHIME AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER ALERTING OF A "STEERING ASSIST FAULT". OUR FORD IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AUTOMATIC PARKING STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM. I THEN FELT THE STEERING LOCK UP AND DRAMATICALLY RE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATE THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO AN UNDISCLOSED OBJECT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAIT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

302 complaints

• RECALL NOTHING IS BEING DONE. *TR
• THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH A SINGLE DEDICATED DASH MOUNTED SWITCH FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL "OFF" FUNCTION. TO DISABLE TRACTION CONTROL IN LOW SPEED SITUATIONS REQUIRING MORE TRACTION NOW INVOLVES NAVIGATING THROUGH FOUR DASH MOUNTED INFORMATION SCREENS WHILE USING THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNT
• THE MYFORDTOUCH SYSTEM WITH NAVIGATION IS UNSAFE. DUE TO CONTINUOUS SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE ERRORS, THE LARGE VIDEO SCREEN IS DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER. PHONE DOES NOT SYNC FROM TIME TO TIME, NAVIGATION DOES NOT ACQUIRE GPS SIGNAL OR VEHICLE POSITION IS INCORRECT. MANY PROBLEMS WITH BLUETOOTH AND USB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 13 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“RECALL NOTHING IS BEING DONE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 3670 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: MY 2013 FORD ESCAPE, 1.6 LITER ENGINE, HAD 3 RECALLS, (TWO WERE ENGINE FIRE RELATED). ALL 3 RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, SALEM, VA. WE PICKED VEHICLE UP AFTER THIRD RECALL WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON 9/17/12. WE ASSUMED THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE CORRECTLY, AND THAT FORD'S "FIX" WORKE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: THERE IS AN ACCELERATION LAG ON PARTIAL THROTTLE. THIS MAINLY OCCURS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE OR WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A TURN. WHEN NO ACCELERATION IS FELT, THE THROTTLE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED FURTHER AND, AFTER A DELAY, THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF LIKE A ROCKET. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE USING THE MANUA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO GO ON FOR A FLAT TIRE. LIGHT WENT ON WHEN TIRE WAS REMOVED. AFTER TEMPORARY TIRE WAS PUT ON 3 DIFFERENT LIGHTS KEPT FLASHING ON AND OFF WHEN DRIVEN. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATE THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO AN UNDISCLOSED OBJECT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAIT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)